Refrigerating apparatus for cold-storage chambers.



Patented Mar. 6, I900.

Riv N i J Wm C. W. BLAGG.

RE FRIGERATING APPARATUS FOR COLD STORAGE CHAMBERS.

(Apphoatxon filed Apr 10 I899) (No Model.)

WW W Tm: nonms PEYERS co morauma. wnsummou, o. c.

CHARLES W. BLAGG, OF SIOUX CITY,

BECKER, PLACE.

" rrrc.

IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, LOUIS CHARLES XVISE, AND \VILLIAM FRANCISBLAGG, OF SAME SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,965,dated March 6, 1900. Application filed April 10, 1899. Serial No.712,438. (N model.)

To (all whom it buoy concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. BLAGG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sioux City, in the county of VVoodbury and State of Iowa,have invented new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus forCold-Storage Chambers, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerating apro paratus for cold-storagechambers, and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensiveapparatus of the type referred to which will effect a great economy inthe quantity of ice employed and which will operate to produce a verylow temperature in the cold-storage box or chamber in a very short timeand will eifectually maintain said temperature.

To this end my invention consists in the features and in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims following thedescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming apart of this specification, wherein'- Figure 1 is a perspectiveView of the re frigerating-tank. Fig. 2. isa vertical sectional Viewthereof, and Fig. dis a detail sectional View of a portion of thebrine-elevating mech 3o anism.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a sheet-metal tankprovided at the front with two forwardly-projecting extensions 2,separated from each other by a vertical air-space 3. The tops of theextensions are closed air-tight by lidsor covers 4. Arranged in the rearportion of the tank 1 is. a sheet-metal box or Well 5, open at its upperend, and leading from the bottom of said well 40 are air-pipes 6, whichpass down to the bottom of the tank 1, thence along the bottom of saidtankand the bottoms of the extensions 2, and out through the front wallsof said extension, as at 7, where they communicate 5 With the atmosphereof the storage box or chamber. Arranged over the upper open end of theWell 5 is a rotary fan 8, which may be driven by any suitable power,preferably by a spring-motor 9.

Inpractice the fan Sis inthe brine at the bottom of the tank.

closed at the top by a casing 10. The fan operates to force the warmerair from the upper part of the storage box or chamber down' through thewell and air-pipes 6 and out into the lower part of the storage-chamber,the air in its passage through said well and pipes being cooled, as willmore fully hereinafter appear.

The tank 1 and its extensions 2 are partially filled with therefrigerating material, as follows: In the bottom is first placed aboutten inches of ice, and over the ice is deposited a refrigeratin gcompound composed offour parts of rock-salt to one part of alum. The iceand refrigerating compound are alternately arranged in this manner to asuitable heightin the tanks 1 and 2. Arranged in the tank 1 immediatelyin front of the. well 5 are two pipes 11 and 12, which extend from nearthe bottom of the tank to near the top thereof and are each open at theopposite ends. Arranged to travel in said pipes is an endless rubbertube 13, provided at suitable intervals with openings 14:, and fixed insaid tube beneath each opening is a disk or diaphragm 15. A series ofbuckets is thus formed in the tube 13. The tube 13 passes about a wheel16, rotatably mounted above the upper ends of the pipes 11 and 1:2 andpreferably rotated by the spring-motor employed for driving the fan. Thelower portion of the tube dips into The Wheel 16 rotates in thedirection indicated by the arrow, and hence the tube ascends the pipe 11and descends through the" pipe 12. Arranged to one side of and above theupper end of the pipe 12 is an inclined trough or catch-basin 17,connected at its lower and outermost end to the upper end of a coil 18,which is arranged on the exterior of the tank and at its lower end leadsback into the bot 0 tom of the tank. In the passage of the tube throughthe brine the buckets take up the brine and lift it up until the bucketspass over thewheel 16, whereupon they discharge the brine into thecatclrbasin 17, and from the latter it passes into the coil 18, downthrough which it passes and is conveyed back into the bottom of thetank.

. tom.

Arranged on the outside of the tank are pipes or flues 19, open at bothtop and hot- Said pipes or flues are preferably rectangular incross-section in order to obtain a greater exposed surface and areformed of sheet metal. The air in the tubes is cooled by therefrigerating-tank and descends to the lower portion of the cold-storagechamber, its place being supplied with warmer air taken from the upperpart of said chamber. A constant circulation of air is thus maintainedthrough the tubes. I have shown said pipes or fiues arranged on the backonly of the tank, but it is manifest that they might also be arrangedon'the front and sides also.

In practice the tank is placed in the coldstorage box or chamber and issupported at asuitable distance above the floor of the latter by anysuitable means. The ice and refrigerating compound are introduced intothe tank through the covered apertures a and are disposed in alternatelayers in the manner described and the fan and pump are put intooperation. The fan operates to draw the relatively-warm air from theupper portion of the storage-chamber and forces it down through the welland air-tubes and out the front of the tanks 2 into the lower portion ofthe chamber. In its passage through the well and tubes the air is cooledby the refrigerating medium in the tank, and as the fan is 0011-tinuouslydriven a constant circulation of the air is maintained in thechamber, the Warmer air being withdrawn from the top and forced downthrough the tank and discharged into the lower portion of the chamber.Furthermore, the cold brine is being constantly elevated by the pump andfed down through the coil on the exterior of the tank into the bottom ofthe latter, and the airof the chamber is thus brought into contact witha long length of cold pipe and is thereby chilled, the cold air sinkingby gravity to the lower portion of the chamber and the warm air beingconstantly brought into contact with the coil. In addition to thesemeans for creating a circulation of the air in the chamber andrefrigerating it such circulation and cooling action are aided by theextensions 2 of the tank, the air circulating about the tank and downthrough the space 3 between the extensions. It will be noted that theice and refrigerating compound are inclosed air-tight in the tank, andhence the air of the storage-chamber never comes in contact with therefrigerating medium, whereby it is maintained sweet and pure.

A faucet 20 is fixed in the lower portion of the tank for the purpose ofdrawing off the waste brine.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination withatank constructed for the reception of a refrigerating medium, andprovided with two extensions separated by an air-space, of a welldisposed in the main portion of the tank and communicating with theatmosphere through the top of the latter, air-pipes leading from thebottom of the well along the bottom of the extensions through therefrigerant and to the exterior of the tan k,

and a fan for forcing air through said well and pipes, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination withatank constructed for the reception of arefrigerating medium and provided with two extensions separated by anair-space, of a well disposed in the rear portion of the main tank andcommunicating with the atmosphere through the top of the latter,air-pipes leading from the bottom of the well along the rear wall of thetank and over the bottom of the latter and over the bottoms of theextensions and projecting through the front walls of the latter, and afan for forcing air through said well and pipes, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination with a tank provided with extensions separated by anair-space, of a well disposed vertically in said tank and open at itsupper end, air-pipes leading from the bottom of the well along the rearwall of the tank and over the bottom of the latter and over the bottomsof the extensions, and a rotary fan disposed over the upper open end ofthe well, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of the twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. BLAGG.

Witnesses:

M. W. MANsE, A. H. WISE.

